Log off, feel better? Study finds ditching Facebook boosts mood
New York Post • • business
Key Points:
- A Stanford University study involving 36,000 Facebook and Instagram users found that taking a social media break improved emotional well-being, especially for Facebook users who logged off for six weeks.
- Participants were divided into two groups: 27% deactivated their accounts for six weeks, while the rest only logged off for one week as a control group.
- Facebook users over 35, undecided voters, and those without college degrees experienced the most significant emotional benefits, while Instagram users, particularly women aged 18 to 24, saw smaller improvements.
- The mood boost was linked to time away from the platforms themselves rather than reduced overall screen time, as users mostly switched to other apps instead of engaging in real-world activities.
- This study is notable for being one of the largest social media experiments to date and the first to specifically isolate Instagram's effects.
